Card holding device



2, 1966 A. J. MARCH 3,263,355

CARD nowme DEVICE Filed Oct. 24. 1965 United States Patent 3,263,355 CARD HGLDlNG DEVET.

Anthony J. March, Eellwood, lilh, assignor to Animated Advertising Techniques, ind, Chicago, llh, a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,688 Claims. (Cl. 4tl]l24) This invention relates to a device for holding greeting cards, particularly Christmas cards, to provide a tree-like display.

Various tree simulating card holding devices heretofore have been developed. Generally speaking, these prior devices comprise a plurality of parts which not only make their assembly by the user cumbersome and time consuming but do not lend themselves to compact packaging either for shipment by the manufacturer, or storage by the user. In addition, with certain of these prior devices, separate card holding means, such, for example, as clips are needed to fasten the cards onto the card holding framework of the devices. In those instances Where card support means is provided on the framework of the device, only a limited area of each greeting card is in engagement with the support means causing the cards to droop thereby imparting an overall poorly integrated, unattractive appearance to the resulting simulated tree display.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a card holding device which overcomes the disadvantages of prior tree simulating card holding devices. The device of the present invention can be assembled with a minimum of effort by even the least mechanically adept individuals. In its disassembled form, the device can be compactly packaged for shipment by a manufacturer or storage by a user. The card receiving members of the device provide maximum support for a maximum number of cards, and the resulting card display has an integrated, highly attractive tree-like appearance.

Briefly, the objectives of the present invention are at tained with a device comprised of a plurality, desirably three, elongated, upwardly converging, wire-like leg members, the upper ends of which are in engagement with a leg supporting disc which maintains the leg members in spaced apart relation and at a suitable angle of inclination. The lower ends of the leg members are freely supported on a surface provided by a table, or the like. Each leg member has a plurality, desirably two, longitudinally spaced, inwardly extending notches intermediate the ends thereof for engaging card holding discs of different diameters. An upper card holding disc, of smallest diameter, is fastened in superimposed relation to the leg supporting disc of the device. Each of the card holding discs is provided along its periphery with a plurality of evenly spaced, inwardly extending, elongated vertical card receiving slots which enable a Christmas card, for example, of any size, to be easily engaged therein and securely held. The device in its assembled form has a truncated, generally conical shape. It is light in weight both before and after cards have been placed thereon, and readily can be moved to any desired location.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the device of this invention with greeting cards in position thereon;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of said embodiment of the device without the greeting cards in position thereon;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of said embodiment of the device without the greeting cards thereon;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the manner in which the upper ends of the leg members are engaged with the leg supporting disc; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the card receiving slots in one of the card holding discs of said embodiment of the device.

Referring, now, more particularly to the drawing, the embodiment of the present invention there illustrated, designated at Iltl, comprises three elongated leg members 12, formed from relatively heavy gauge steel wire, having a lower end portion 14, an upper end portion 16, and an intermediate, elongated portion 18. The lower end portion 14 of each of the leg members 12 is bent inwardly to provide greater support for the device which in use rests on a suitable supporting surface such as a table top, counter, or the like. The upper end portion 15 of each of the leg members 12 engages a leg supporting disc 20 which serves to maintain the leg members in spaced apart relation and at a suitable angle of inclination to impart a generally conical or tree-like configuration to the compiete assembly.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the disc 20 has three equally spaced openings 22 therethrough which receive the upper end portions 16 of the leg members 12. Each end portion to of the leg members is formed to provide a substantially horizontal shoulder portion 16:: which engages the lower surface of the disc 20. Each portion 16a of the end portions in of the leg members is joined to a substantially vertical portion 16b which is received in the openings 22 of the disc 20. Each portion 16b, in turn, is joined to a substantially horizontal portion which overlies the upper surface of the disc 29. The disc 20 is provided with three equally spaced, peripheral notches 2 2-, opposite the openings 22 thereof, which engage each of the leg members 112 at a point adjacent the juncture of each portion lee with the upper end of the intermediate portion 18 of the leg members 12. This arrangement prevents pivotal movement of the leg members about an axis defined by the vertical portions 161: of the ends 16 and serves to maintain the portions 18 of the leg members at a suitable, stable angle of inclination.

Each of the portions 18 of the leg members 12 has two inwardly extending, longitudinally or vertically spaced notches Zttl and 32 formed by bending, to a limited extent, each portion 18 back upon itself at properly spaced intervals. The notches 3t and 32 each has a substantially horizontal inwardly extending portion 39a and 32a, respectively, joined to upwardly and outwardly extending portions Stlb and 325, respectively. Each of the notches 33 in the portions 18 of the leg members 22 is adapted to engage equally spaced radial slots 34 communicating with a central opening 36 in a card holding disc 4d. The opening 36 in the disc as is of sufiicient diameter to enable the disc Zti to pass therethroug'h for reasons that will be made clear as the description proceeds. Each of the notches 32 in the portions 18 of the leg members 22, in turn, is adapted to engage equally spaced radial slots 42 which communicate with a central opening 44 in a card holding disc 46 of lesser diameter than the disc 40. Like the opening 36 in the disc 40, the opening 54 in the disc 46 is of sufiicient diameter to enable the disc to pass therethrough.

In assembling the device 10, the upper ends 16 of each of the leg members 12 first are engaged with the support disc 20, making certain that each portion 18 of the leg members is engaged in the notches 24 of the disc 20.

The larger diameter card holding disc 40 is then lowered into position in the notches by passing the disc 20 through the opening 36 in the disc 40. The diameter of the opening 36 is sufiicient to allow for easy pass-through of the disc 20, and the diameter of the disc 40 and the length of the radial slots 34 thereof are such to enable the disc 20 to maintain the portions 18 of the leg members at a suitable angle of inclination. The next largest diameter card holding disc 46 is then lowered into position in the notches 32 by passing the disc 20 through the opening 44- thereof. Like the opening 36 in the disc 40, the opening 44 in the disc 46 is of sufficient diameter to allow easy pass-through of the disc 20. Also, like the disc 40, the diameter of the disc 46 and the length of the radial slots 42 thereof are such as to enable the disc 20 to maintain the portions 18 of the leg members at a suitable angle of inclination.

The assembly is completed by fastening a third, smaller card holding disc 50 over the disc 20 and the portions 160 of the ends 16 of the leg members. This can conveniently be achieved by providing the disc 20 with a central opening 52 and the disc 50 with a central opening 54 of similar size. The disc 50 may then be secured to the disc 20 by inserting a screw 56 up through the openings 52 and 54, and screwing it into a screw post 53.

As illustrated in FIGS, 2 and 3 of the drawing, each of the card holding discs has a plurality of evenly spaced, elongated S-shaped, card receiving slots 60 extending inwardly from the outer margins of the discs. The length of the slots 60 and the curvature thereof enables the cards to be readily inserted into position therein yet prevents the cards from becoming too easily dislodged from the slots 60 by inadvertent movement of the device 10. The general shape of the slots 60 in the card holding discs 40, 46 and 50, and the extent of the contact between the curved walls defining the slots and a card 62 is clearly illustrated in FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 4, the card holding discs are each disposed in a substantially horizontal plane parallel to the plane of the supporting surface on which the device rests and parallel to each other, and are substantially equidistantly vertically spaced with relation to one another. The entire arrangement enables a user to provide a card display having an overall uniform and eye-appealing appearance with any size greeting card. To enhance the attractiveness of the device, the upper surfaces of the card holding discs may be covered with colored paper or foil.

While there has been shown and described in detail herein what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment of the present invention it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made in the described embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for holding greeting cards to provide a treelike display, comprising: a plurality of elongated relatively slender support members the lower ends of which are disposed in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on a supporting surface for the device and the upper ends of which are inclined inwardly to impart a substantially upwardly tapered configuration to the support members, anchoring means for engaging the upper ends of the support members to maintain them in spaced apart relation and at an angle of inclination with respect to a supporting surface for the device, a plurality of card holding members supported on said support members, said card holding members having different dimensions and being disposed in substantially horizontal planes in spaced vertical relation to each other, each of the card holding members positioned between the ends of said support members having a substantially centrally disposed opening therethrough for receiving said support members and a plurality of spaced, elongated vertical slots in the edge portions of said card holding members for receiving and retaining greeting cards in a substantially vertical position.

2. A device for holding greeting cards to provide a tree-like display, comprising: a plurality of elongated relatively slender support members the lower ends of which are disposed in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on a supporting surface for the device and the upper ends of which are inclined inwardly to impart a substantially upwardly tapered configuration to the support members, each of said support members having a plurality of inwardly extending longitudinally spaced notches formed therein, anchoring means for engaging the upper ends of the support members to maintain them in spaced apart relation and at an angle of inclination with respect to a supporting surface for the device, a plurality of circular card holding members having means for engaging the notches on said support members, said card holding members having different diameters and being disposed in substantially horizontal planes in spaced vertical relation to each other on said support members, each of the card holding members positioned between the ends of said sup port members having a substantially centrally disposed opening therethrough for receiving said support members and a plurality of spaced, elongated, inwardly extending vertical slots in the edge portions of said card holding members for receiving and retaining greeting cards in a substantially vertical position.

3. A device for holding greeting cards to provide a tree-like display, comprising: a plurality of elongated leg members the lower ends of which rest in spaced apart relation on a supporting surface for the device and the upper ends of which are inclined inwardly to impart a substantially upwardly tapered configuration to the leg members, a support disc having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough for engaging the upper ends of the leg members to maintain them in spaced apart relation and at an angle of inclination with respect to a supporting surface for the device, a plurality of card holding members supported on said leg members, said card holding members having different dimensions and being disposed in substantially horizontal planes in spaced vertical relation to each other, the card holding member of smallest dimension being secured on said leg members in superimposed relation to said support disc, and a plurality of spaced, elongated, inwardly extending curved slots in the edge portions of said card holding members for receiving and retaining greeting cards.

A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the support disc is provided with leg member engaging notches at the periphery thereof to prevent pivotal movement of the leg members.

5. A device for holding greeting cards to provide a tree-like display, comprising: three elongated wire-like leg members the lower ends of which rest in spaced apart relation on a supporting surface for the device and the upper ends of which are inclined inwardly to impart a substantially upwardly tapered configuration to the leg members, each of said leg members having two inwardly extending longitudinally spaced notches formed therein, a support disc having a plurality of spaced openings therethrough for engaging the upper ends of the leg members to maintain them in spaced apart relation and at an angle of inclination with respect to a supporting surface for the device, three card holding discs, two of said discs having radial slots therein for engaging the notches of said leg members, said card holding discs having different diam- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Davis 248-l65 X Clawson 2l1-50 X Wittick 2ll50 X Smith l08-l0l X CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 10 R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR HOLDING GREETING CARDS TO PROVIDE A TREELIKE DISPLAY, COMPRISING: PLURALITY OF ELONGATED RELATIVELY SLENDER SUPPORT MEMBERS THE LOWER ENDS OF WHICH ARE DISPOSED IS SPACED APART RELATION AND ADAPTED TO REST ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE FOR THE DEVICE AND THE UPPER ENDS OF WHICH ARE INCLINED INWARDLY TO IMPART A SUBSTANTIALLY UPWARDLY TAPERED CONFIGURATION TO THE SUPPORT MEMBERS, ANCHORING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE UPPER ENDS OF THE SUPPORT MEMBERS TO MAINTAIN THEM IN SPACED APART REALTION AND AT AN ANGLE OF INCLINATION WITH RESPECT TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE FOR THE DEVICE. A PLURALITY OF CARD HOLDING MEMBERS SUPPORTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, SAID CARD HOLDING MEMBERS HAVING DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS AND BEING DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANES IN SPACED VERTICAL RELATION TO EACH OTHER, EACH OF THE CARD HOLDING MEMBERS POSITIONED BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY DISPOSED OPENING THERETHROUGH FOR RECEIVING SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS AND 